Photos: Space Age Postage Stamps Through History

By Space.com Staff |
May 22, 2018 02:00pm ET

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Sally Ride Honored

Credit: USPS/collectSPACE.com

Space exploration and astronomy have been immortalized in stamp form many times over the decades. See photos of of space-themed postage stamps from the United States and around the world here. This Image: The U.S. Postal Service will release a stamp in honor of astronaut Sally Ride - the first American woman in space - on May 23, 2018 in La Jolla, California.

Apollo in 2018

Credit: USPS/NASA via collectSPACE.com

The Engineering stamp in the USPS's STEM Education set features NASA's Apollo command and service modules.

Secret Stamp for John Glenn's Flight

The 1962 4-cent "Project Mercury" stamp marked the first time that the U.S. issued a previously unannounced commemorative stamp at the same time as the event it was issued to honor: John Glenn’s historic Friendship 7 spaceflight.

Alan Shepard and MESSENGER Stamps

Credit: USPS

The U.S. Postal Service issued on May 4, 2011 a pair of stamps for the first U.S. astronaut and the first probe to orbit Mercury.

Concept for New Horizons Postage Stamp

Credit: NASA/SWRI/Durda

Artist Dan Durda's concept for a U.S. postage stamp honoring the New Horizons mission to Pluto.

'Earthscapes' Forever Stamp

Credit: USPS

Earthscapes "Forever" stamps are being issued by the U.S. Postal Service.

Moon Landing Postal Image Needs Your Stamp of Approval

Credit: U.S. Postal Service

The U.S. Postal Service's first priority mail stamp, issued on July 20, 1989, commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Apollo 11 expedition to the moon.

Yuri Gagarin in Stamp Form

Credit: Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos)

The legacy cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and his historic launch on April 12, 1961, ushering in the era of human spaceflight, continues today. This year, Russia is releasing these commemorative stamps to honor Gagarin's 108-minute orbital flight.

Albanian Stamps Commemorate Sputnik

Credit: Blank Archives/Getty

An Albanian postage stamp commemorates the a Soviet Sputnik satellite. ("Shqipëria" is another name for Albania.)

Sally Ride Honored

Credit: USPS/collectSPACE.com

Space exploration and astronomy have been immortalized in stamp form many times over the decades. See photos of of space-themed postage stamps from the United States and around the world here. This Image: The U.S. Postal Service will release a stamp in honor of astronaut Sally Ride - the first American woman in space - on May 23, 2018 in La Jolla, California.

Apollo in 2018

Credit: USPS/NASA via collectSPACE.com

The Engineering stamp in the USPS's STEM Education set features NASA's Apollo command and service modules.

Secret Stamp for John Glenn's Flight

The 1962 4-cent "Project Mercury" stamp marked the first time that the U.S. issued a previously unannounced commemorative stamp at the same time as the event it was issued to honor: John Glenn’s historic Friendship 7 spaceflight.

Alan Shepard and MESSENGER Stamps

Credit: USPS

The U.S. Postal Service issued on May 4, 2011 a pair of stamps for the first U.S. astronaut and the first probe to orbit Mercury.

Concept for New Horizons Postage Stamp

Credit: NASA/SWRI/Durda

Artist Dan Durda's concept for a U.S. postage stamp honoring the New Horizons mission to Pluto.

'Earthscapes' Forever Stamp

Credit: USPS

Earthscapes "Forever" stamps are being issued by the U.S. Postal Service.

Moon Landing Postal Image Needs Your Stamp of Approval

Credit: U.S. Postal Service

The U.S. Postal Service's first priority mail stamp, issued on July 20, 1989, commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Apollo 11 expedition to the moon.

Yuri Gagarin in Stamp Form

Credit: Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos)

The legacy cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and his historic launch on April 12, 1961, ushering in the era of human spaceflight, continues today. This year, Russia is releasing these commemorative stamps to honor Gagarin's 108-minute orbital flight.

Albanian Stamps Commemorate Sputnik

Credit: Blank Archives/Getty

An Albanian postage stamp commemorates the a Soviet Sputnik satellite. ("Shqipëria" is another name for Albania.)